Lesley M Wexler

Lesley M Wexler is the John D. Colombo Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the University of Illinois College of Law. She holds additional affiliations with the Center for the Study of Global Gender Equity and the Center for Global Studies. Her academic career is anchored in legal scholarship with a focus on human rights, international law, and the intersection of law with societal issues like discrimination and environmental conservation.

Wexler earned her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and a B.A. from the University of Michigan. Her research spans employment discrimination, environmental law, labor law, and the laws of war, with a particular emphasis on how legal frameworks address global challenges such as civilian casualties, non-state punishment mechanisms, and gender-based movements like #MeToo.

Her work explores theoretical and practical dimensions of justice, including restorative and procedural justice models. Notable contributions include analyzing the implications of the #MeToo movement on military and campus justice systems, and investigating legal responses to lawful civilian casualties in modern conflicts. She has presented on these topics at invited lectures and symposia, including discussions on #MeToo and procedural justice that gained media attention.

Wexler's research outputs often bridge legal theory with real-world applications, addressing issues like chemical weapon use in Syria, cluster munitions policy, and the long-term consequences of torture. Her affiliations with interdisciplinary centers reflect her commitment to global gender equity and transnational legal studies.